Method for the toxicity assessments of nano-materials

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials, and more specifically, it is relates to an objective, reproducible and accurate assessment method for the unbiased toxicity testings of nano-materials, which minimize artifacts of the conventional methods for the toxicity assessment of the nano-materials by considering the dose characteristics of the nano-material itself using Selective multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (SPIM); and the response characteristics of the nano-material using the improved or novel cellular responses assessment methods for nano-materials (e.g., modified MTT assay using image cytometric analysis, normal-inverted exposure apparatus, and modified flow cytometry), and a system and an apparatus thereof.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials, more specifically, it is relates to an objective and accurate method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials, which improves error of the conventional method for the toxicity assessment of the nano-materials by considering the characteristics of the nano-material itself in a cell using Selective Multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (SPIM) method; and the cellular responsiveness assessment to the nano-materials using flow cytometry, image cytometry, an normal and inverted exposure apparatus and the like, and a system and an apparatus therefor.

BACKGROUND

The toxicity of nano-sized materials (hereinafter, nano-materials) which can be generated when the nano-materials are exposed to a human body is emerging as a new problem according to recent dramatical development of nano-technology. In consideration of gradual increase of frequency of breath inhalation, oral inhalation and skin exposure, accurate and scientific information about nano-technology and the stability of nano-materials is urgently being asked.

The toxicity of nano-materials is occurred by its very small the size and nano-material-specific physicochemical characteristics which are largely different from a bulk-material. The toxicity such as possibility to induce cancer of materials having acicular structure such as asbestos and glass fibers has been already known for a long time. Unlike the asbestos and glass fiber, toxicity of the nano-materials caused by their very small the size as well as their morphological characteristic is receiving more attention. It is reported that high surface reactivity and cell membrane permeability make the nano-materials easily introduce into a living body, enhance the possibility to induce cellular level stress, and can further have a continuous effect by be accumulated in a living body like asbestos. It is considered that the nano-materials, unlike micro-sized materials, can be deposited in the body by penetrating into the deep body so as to have the influence on cardiovascular diseases, and particularly, the nano-materials penetrated through a nasal nerve can move in the body by blood so as to also have the influence on brain damage.

Most of nano-material toxicity studies subjected to living bodies are conducted by injection using syringe or cell culture, and mainly with metals, metal oxides, carbon nano-materials and the like. In general, it is known that nano-particles are flowed into a human body by respiratory system, mouth and skin than injection.

It is time that international co-operation activity should be actively pushed ahead to prevent the potential harmful effect of the nano-material in advance and to make provisions, and an institutional strategy should be simultaneously prepared to minimize or reduce potential danger such as indiscriminate development and application of nano-technology, and improper elimination.

However, unlike it is realized that the toxicity of the nano-particles and the like affecting a human body or environment may be serious, even a method to assess the actual influence of the exposure of the nano-materials on the human body and environment, the toxicity and the hazard has not been properly established yet.

Up to now, generally, the toxicity assessment method used to the existing chemicals is applied to the nano-materials in many cases. However, the smaller the particle the size is, the wider the surface area is so as to increase the responsiveness to the living tissue and the toxicity caused therefrom, and therefore, an investigation to the new physical and chemical properties of the nano-materials considering the nano-sized characteristics and the toxicity caused therefrom is the most important.

Therefore, in order to assess the toxicity of nano-materials, it is needed to study about its unique characteristics and problems, and potential influences of its behavior, exposure and toxicity.

Recently, it is a trend that direct exposure of the nano-materials to consumers is dramatically increasing because many products using the nano-materials are produced in various industrial fields, and many of them are consumed. Accordingly, the toxicity of the nano-material is being studied world widely, and importance of development of a method for the toxicity assessment of the nano-material is also being magnified. A supplemented platform for the cellular toxicity assessment of the nano-materials is needed by developing a protocol, which can solve the problems incorrectly performed in the nano-material toxicity assessment, and new instrument for the nano-material toxicity assessment.

Therefore, the present inventors found that more objective assessment for the toxicity of nano-materials is possible by analyzing characteristics of the nano-material itself such as concentration (number), size, distribution and the like using Selective Multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (SPIM); analyzing influences (reactivity) of the nano-material on a cell using a flow cytometry, an image cytometry, an normal and inverted exposure apparatus and the like one by one; and putting the results together, and complete the present invention.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials comprising using Selective multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM), a system therefor, and a device therefor.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials comprising the dose characteristics assessment of the nano-material itself using Selective Multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (SPIM), and the sequential cellular responsiveness assessment to the nano-material; a system therefor; and a device therefor.

Further another object of the present invention is to provide a method and device using image cytometry, a normal and inverted exposure apparatus to assess the cellular responsiveness as a specific embodiment of the nano-material toxicity assessment system.

In order to solve the problems, the present invention provides a method or system for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials comprising the steps of: 1) assessing the dose characteristics of the nano-material itself using Selective Multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (SPIM); 2) assessing the cellular responsiveness for the nano-materials; and 3) combining results of the assessed dose characteristics of the nano-materials and the cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials.

The dose characteristics of the nano-material itself includes the characteristics such as concentration (number) and the size (Hydrodynamic size) distribution of the nano-material dispersed in a cell medium, agglomeration and sedimentation coefficients of the nano-materials in a cell medium, cellular uptake of the nano-materials; and the like.

In this case, the measurement of the concentration (number) of the nano-materials dispersed in a cell medium is conducted in real time through nano-material image analysis, preferably, and the analysis of the size distribution of the nano-materials dispersed in a cell medium is conducted by measuring diffusion efficient D according to Brownian movement of the nano-materials in real time through analysis of video or continuously shot images of the nano-materials:

D=kT/(6πηr)

Wherein, k is Boltzmann constant, T is temperature, η is solution viscosity and r is radius of a nano-material.

The calculation of the agglomeration coefficient and sedimentation coefficient of the nano-materials in the cell medium can be performed by measuring the concentration and the size distribution of the nano-material in 2 or more sample heights using mSPIM of PLS (parallel light sheet) mode, and the calculation of the cellular uptake of the nano-materials can be conducted by measuring the concentration and the size distribution of the nano-materials really exposed; and the concentration and the size distribution of the nano-materials accumulated in a cell.

In this case, to calculate the cellular uptake of the nano-materials, for example, SPIM of PLS (parallel light sheet) mode; and the combination of SPIMs of HILO (Highly inclined and laminated optical sheet) mode or TIR (Total internal reflection) mode can be used.

And, the cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials can be confirmed by measuring a link between the nano-materials and apoptosis, and the step of assessing cellular responsiveness to the nano-material is conducted by using staining method, flow cytometry, image cytometry, analysis using a normal and inverted exposure apparatus and the like. Detailed explanation therefor will be separately described later.

As another example, the present invention provides a device for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials. A diagram of the device is represented in FIG. 3.

The device for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials comprises a device equipped with mSPIM consisting of a laser light source, a cylindrical lens reducing the laser beam thickness and an objective lens, an objective lens placed perpendicular thereto and focusing fluorescent light, and a detector; and a device measuring cellular responsiveness to nano-materials, and is consisted to sequentially measure the nano-material characteristics and cellular responsiveness using the said devices, respectively.

Particularly, the mSPIM can consist of a laser-based dark field fluorescent microscope illustrated in FIG. 4, and the mSPIM is bound to a nano-material exposure device. In this case, the nano-material exposure device may comprise a microfluidic chip or an exposure apparatus for well plate produced by using poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyacrylates, polycarbonates, polycyclic olefins, polyimides, or polyurethanes, preferably.

The mSPIM can be (i) a combination of two or more SPIMs of PLS (parallel light sheet) mode; or (ii) a combination of SPIM of PLS (parallel light sheet) mode with SPIM of HILO (Highly inclined and laminated optical sheet) mode or TIR (Total internal reflection) mode, and when the combination (i) of two or more SPIMs is installed, the distribution of the size (Hydrodynamic size) according to the sample height and agglomeration coefficient in a cell medium can be measure, and when the combination (ii) of two or more SPIMs of is installed, the cellular uptake of nano-particles can be measured.

The device of the present invention for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials may be equipped with the device for measuring cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials, for example, a flow cytometer, an image cytometer, a normal and inverted exposure apparatus and the like.

Therefore, as further another example, the present invention provides a method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials comprising the steps of analyzing the dose characteristics of nano-materials using Selective Multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM), and analyzing the cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials using Image Cytometry.

The image cytometry can consist of cell morphology analysis, fluorescence image analysis or absorption image analysis, and comprises quantification of the degree of apoptosis.

In this case, the fluorescence image analysis can use an organic fluorescent dye, an inorganic nano-particle or a fluorescent protein, and the absorption image analysis can use an absorption dye selected from a group consisting of MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)), MTS (5-(3-caroboxymeth-oxyphenyl)-2H-tetra-zolium inner salt), WST (4-[3-(4-Iodophenyl)-2(4-nitrophenyl)-2H-5-tetrazolio]1,3-benzene disulfonate) and trypan blue.

The quantification of the degree of apoptosis can be conducted by analyzing at least one selected from a group consisting of: value of the morphology factor selected from a group consisting of occupied area per cell and Circularity; or at least one fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell selected from a group consisting of mean fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell; and integrated fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell, from the filmed images:

Circularity=4π×(cell area/cell perimeter²)

Mean fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell=mean of fluorescent intensities or absorbances of each fixel in a cell region

Integrated fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell=mean fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell×number of fixel occupied by a cell.

Further, as further another example, the present invention provides a method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials comprising the steps of analyzing the dose characteristics of the nano-materials using Selective Multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM), and analyzing the cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials using a normal and inverted exposure apparatus. In this case, it is more preferred to conduct image cytometry additionally.

The normal and inverted exposure apparatus may comprise a microfluidic chip or an exposure instrument for well plate produced by using at least one polymer material selected from a group consisting of poly(dimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyacrylates, polycarbonates, polycyclic olefins, polyimides and polyurethanes, and the inverted exposure apparatus can be installed to make the cultured cell layer face down so as to exposed to the nano-materials, and used to the concentration correction of the exposed nano-materials.

Thus, the present invention provides a method, which can directly measure the quantitative and the size distribution of the nano-particles in real-time by sequentially performing the desired analyses, respectively; can reduce errors occurred by heterogeneity of the nano-particles, which is generated in the existing in-vitro nano-particles exposure test by monitoring agglomeration coefficient of the nano-particles in a cell medium, and cellular uptake of the nano-particles and the like; and further assess the dose-response relation of the nano-particles more accurately and reproductively by selectively assessing only direct toxic effect of the nano-materials.

In the toxicity assessment of nano-materials, the present invention suggests various problems, which can be occurred by using the existing protocols of the methods for assessing the toxicity of chemicals, and also suggests solutions or improvement ways for parts where experimenters make many mistakes.

Particularly, in order to improve errors, the dose characteristic of the nano-materials such as concentration (number), the size and distribution is analyzed, sequentially, the influence of the nano-materials on a cell (reactivity) is analyzed, and then the results are combined to obtain more accurate result of the toxicity analysis.

Therefore, a platform for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials based on the present invention can be produced so as to obtain more accurate and reproducible result of the toxicity assessment in the future toxicity assessment of nano-materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The application file contains drawings executed in color (FIGS. 1 to 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 16, 18 to 21 and 23 to 30). Copies of this patent or patent application with color drawings will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

FIG. 1: diagrams representing a process of generating error by the concentration change according to agglomeration and sedimentation when nano-particles are actually exposed to cell culture solution [Justin G. Teeguarden et al., 2007]

FIG. 2: a concept map of in vitro platform for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials.

FIG. 3: a diagram of a nano-material toxicity assessment device equipped with each analyzer (chip) to perform the nano-material toxicity assessment sequentially through one device.

FIG. 4: a schematic diagram of a laser spectroscopy system which can use SPIM method used in the present invention.

FIG. 5: a schematic diagram of a sample holder which can observe HILO or TIR form possibly used in the present invention.

FIG. 6: results of observing gold nano-particles of 15 nm and 30 nm, and silica particles of 50 nm, which are dispersed in DI-water with PLS mode.

FIG. 7: results of observing the dispersed gold nano-particles of 15 nm and 30 nm with HILO mode, and measuring the size distribution of each particle by tracing the Brownian movement.

FIG. 8: a schematic diagram of a system, which can monitor the changes of the concentration and the size of the nano-particles which may occur during cell culture, in real-time.

FIG. 9: graphs representing tendencies of sedimentation and agglomeration of the nano-particles dispersed according to the height in a time-dependent manner under the same condition of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10: a schematic diagram of the combined form of HILO mode to measure the Cellular uptake dose of the nano-particles and PLS mode to measure the nano-particles dispersed in a solution at the same time.

FIG. 11: results of monitoring the nano-particles under the same condition with FIG. 10.

FIG. 12: results of observing the Brownian movement of the nano-particles when the nano-particles are actually sedimented with an optical microscope and HILO mode.

FIG. 13: a schematic diagram of the image cytometry.

FIGS. 14 to 16: flow charts of processes performing the cell image analysis according to the cell morphology analysis and the results of one example thereof.

FIGS. 17 to 19: flow charts of processes performing the cell image analysis according to optical density(absorbance) image analysis and the results of one example thereof.

FIG. 20: a diagram representing various cell delivery processes which are expected when the nano-particles are exposed in the blood vessel.

FIG. 21: an image comparing the conventional method and a method using an inverted exposure apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 22: drawings of a nano-material exposure apparatus.

FIG. 23: diagrams of exposing the nano-materials to a normal and inverted nano-material exposure apparatus followed by radiating UV-A.

FIG. 24: graphs for the cell viability according to the concentration of the titanium dioxide nano-particles exposed to a normal and inverted nano-material exposure apparatus.

FIG. 25: graphs comparing apoptosis reaction by micro plate reader analysis and image cytometry removing the influence of the nano-particles.

FIG. 26: a diagram of a method for assessing the characteristics of the silica nano-materials and measuring the cellular responsiveness sequentially according to the present invention.

FIG. 27: images and graphs showing the change of the number (concentration) and the size of the silica nano-particles

FIG. 28: cell images, histograms and scatter diagrams for the cellular responsiveness assessment to the silica nano-particles.

FIG. 29: images and graphs showing the change of the number (concentration) and the size of the nano-particles.

FIG. 30: cell images, histograms and scatter diagrams for the cellular responsiveness assessment to the nano-particles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The terms used in the present invention are defined as follows.

“Nano-material” refers to a nano-particle and nano-structure material wherein the length of at least one dimension among three dimensions in the size of the particle is smaller than 100 nm. Particularly, in the present invention, the nano-material is used in combination with the nano-particle.

“Nano-particle” refers to a particle having diameter of 1 to 100 nm.

“Toxicity of nano-material” refers to a generic term for danger, risk, hazard, toxicity and the like of a nano-sized particle or liquefied material. To strictly explain, the hazard refers to a material or behavior which can cause disturbance, i.e., source of risk, and the risk is defined as probability or likelihood of occurring harmful results to a person or group exposed to a certain concentration or dose of a harmful material. In OECD, the risk is defined as ┌Risk=Hazard×Exposure┘.

In general, it is a problem that the smaller the particle is, the higher the responsiveness and the toxicity to a living body can increase with increasing surface. Particularly, some nano-material, which can penetrate into animal cells, can pass through cell membranes or blood-brain barrier, and it may unintentionally affect cell or tissues. Therefore, it is needed to study the nano-material toxicity and prepare safety control guideline and the like. According to references, the nano-material toxicity examinations of carbons, silica, TiO₂ and silver nano-particles are sequentially underway.

“Tissue or cell sample” refers to a similar cell aggregate obtained from a tissue of a subject or patient. A source of the tissue or cell sample may be a fresh, freezed and/or conserved organ or tissue sample; or a solid tissue from biopsy or aspirate; blood or any blood cell; a cell of any point of pregnancy or development of a subject. The tissue sample may also be a primary or cultured cell, or cell line.

“Apoptosis” is used in wide meaning, and generally means a cell death following the rule of a mammal or controlled cell death, which involves at least one characteristic cell change containing cytoplasm compression, loss of plasma membrane microvilli, karyokinesis, chromosomal DNA degradation or mitochondrial dysfunction.

In the present invention, “monitoring” or “real-time assessment” refers to a systematic detection for variables effective for a certain period of time (Traxler. 1997). Namely, it is to find out what is changed to what and how it is changed for a certain period time. There are two kinds of monitoring, one is a regular monitoring method using the limitation or standard, or indicator as a criterion for effectiveness verification, and the other is an irregular monitoring method, as a meaning of “Surveillance”, which does not set qualitative standard value before examination (observation). In the present invention, the term “monitoring” is being used in combination with the term “assessment”.

Unless otherwise required, through the present disclosure, “comprise” and “comprising” include a suggested step or element, or a group of steps or elements, but it should be understood not to exclude any other step or element, or group of steps or elements.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used in the present invention are used as the same meanings with what the skilled person in the art related to the present invention generally understands. Further, preferred methods or samples are listed in the present invention, but also similar or equivalent methods or samples are included in the scope of the present invention.

Herein after, the present invention is described in detail.

The present invention relates to a method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials (nano-particles).

The nano-materials worried about the toxicity may be any nano-particles and nano-structure materials wherein the length of at least one dimension among three dimensions in the size of the particle is smaller than 100 nm can be included in the scope of the present invention without limitation, and for example, they may be materials listed in Table 1. Gold nano, silver nano, SWCNT (single-walled carbon nanotube), MWCNT (multi-walled carbon nanotube), fullerene (C60),

nano-particles, carbon black, titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, cerium oxide, zinc oxide, silicon dioxide, polystyrene, dendrimer, nano-clay and the like may be exemplified, and in one example of the present invention, gold nano-particles or titanium dioxides were used.

In order to figure out and understand the danger (toxicity) of the nano-materials according the exposure, first of all, it is required to understand the physical and chemical characteristics of the nano-materials and to figure out the physical behavior thereof, and to understand the cell physiological in vivo function thereof.

TABLE 1

1 Silver nanoparticles 2 Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) 3 Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) 4 Fullerenes (C60) 5 Iron nanoparticles 6 Carbon black 7 Titanium dioxide 8 Aluminium oxide 9 Cerium oxide 10 Zinc oxide 11 Silicon dioxide 12 Polystyrene 13 Dendrimers 14 Nanoclays Because the nano-materials have somewhat different characteristics according to the kind, in the present invention, firstly, the dose characteristics of the nano-material itself, for example, concentration (number) and the size (Hydrodynamic size) distribution of the nano-materials dispersed in a cell medium; agglomeration and sedimentation coefficients of the nano-materials in a cell medium; cellular uptake of the nano-materials; and the like are analyzed, and additionally, the actual influence of the nano-materials on a cell (for example, association with apoptosis), namely, the cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials is analyzed. The nano-materials become having various concentration by being diffused in cells in a time-dependent manner, and then the cells in a cell layer are exposed to the nano-materials for a certain period of time so as to through the apoptosis. The actual influence of the nano-materials on the cells can be analyzed by figuring out the link between the apoptosis and the nano-materials.

The process of the apoptosis is divided to apoptosis, necrosis and the like. Because the damaged cell due to exposure to the hazard material is changed to the direction of atrophy on the contrary to normal cell division, it can be confirmed that cellular responsiveness mechanism to the hazard material by searching metabolic processes different from that of normal cells, i.e., cell death (cell atrophy) process among them. Herein, the cell death process is classified to two processes, and one of them is a cell death process called “Necrosis”, wherein intracellular contents are released out caused by cell swelling and cell lysis. Further, the other cell process called “Apoptosis” is characterized by the early cell shrinkage, and refers to destruction of cell-cell bonds with near cells. In the apoptosis process, cell volume is reduced, and inner membranes in the cytoplasm, ribosome, glomerulus and other cell organelles are shrunken.

The toxicity assessment of the nano-material currently used is conducted by using a conventional in vitro cellular-based toxicity assessment system. Namely, the method, wherein cells are cultured at the bottom of a petri dish or multiwell plate, and the cells are exposed to the nano-materials followed by analyzing the degree of cell growth or apoptosis by a cell analysis method using various fluorescent and absorption dyes has been used to measure the cellular toxicity of the nano-materials, but this conventional method involves many errors.

When assessing the toxicity of the nano-materials, one of the important errors occurred during determining the concentration is generated in the measurement of the amount of the cell-exposed nano-materials, i.e., the nano-material exposure dose.

Accurate measurement of the “Nano-material exposure dose (e.x., particle number, particle the size distribution, particle surface area, total amount and the like)” is not easy with general methods, and the reproducibility of the result of the toxicity assessment may significantly become worse according to the surroundings such as a preparation method of nano-material dispersion, exposure time or medium and the like because it involves many change in the particle the size and the concentration according to the medium condition after exposure. For example, when the nano-materials are dispersed in a cell medium, the nano-materials are agglomerated and sedimented in several hours due to high ionic strength of the cell culture solution before the cells are cultured. Therefore, in case of the in vitro test method using surface-mounted cell, the concentration of the nano-particles actually exposed may have bigger difference in the particle number and distribution than that of the nano-materials initially injected.

As a general method to measure the particle the size of the nano-materials dispersed in aqueous solution, dynamic light scattering (DLS) is used, but it needs sample of several ml or more, and is difficult to accurately measure the particle the size distribution when particles having various the size are mixed. As mentions above, when the nano-particles are exposed to a cell culture solution, a method to simultaneously measure the size distribution of the particles from several nanometers to several micrometers because the particles can grow to several micrometers is needed, and a method to measure the concentration change of the nano-particles exposed to the cells in real-time is needed.

Further, because the toxicity caused by the agglomerated and sedimented particles and the toxicity caused by the nano-particles well dispersed in a cell medium may be different each other in the mechanism of toxicity, and there is strong possibility to assess the nano-material toxicity more than the real toxicity of the nano-particles because of the heterogeneity of the nano-particles, wherein the higher concentration of the nano-particles is distributed as the particles move down to the bottom of the well plate compared with the real toxicity of the nano-particles due to the “agglomeration and sedimentation”, these causes of the error should be clearly distinguished. As one example, in the condition of occurring agglomeration and sedimentation, there is excess concentration of the nano-particles around the cells compared to the injected concentration of the nano-particles because the nano-particles are distributed heterogeneously in a solution. Thus, the overestimate of the nano-particle toxicity is one of big errors in the nano-particle toxicity assessment system currently being used.

Regarding to the said problems, hereinafter, examples for the conventional method according to the specific method are described in detail.

First of all, examples of the conventional techniques highly related to the present invention are as follows.

-   -   UV/VIS spectrometer: as the similar conventional technique with         the present invention, the change of Optical Density caused by         the scattering or uptake of the nano-particles is measured using         a UV/VIS spectrometer to quantify the concentration of the         nano-particles dispersed in a solution. This spectrometer can         decide the concentration of the nano-particle-containing sample         for analysis by measuring the amount of penetrated light while         changing the wavelength range of the light from UV to visible         light. It is possible that the higher the concentration of the         sample for analysis, the lower the penetration ratio of the         light absorbed or scattered by the sample for analysis.     -   Dynamic light scattering (DLS): nano-particles put in the rout         of light scatter the light. The intensity of the scattered light         is changed by the Brownian movement of the nano-particles in a         time-dependent manner. Because the dispersed particles in a         solution move faster as the size thereof become smaller, the         changing rate of the scattered light also becomes faster. Using         this property, diffusion efficient can be obtained by applying         autocorrelation Function, and out of this hydrodynamic the size         of the particles can be obtained. In general, the distribution         of the nano-particles provided from DLS analysis method is         providing three informations of number, volume and intensity.         The intensity is the strength of signal produced during DLS         measurement, the volume is changed to the distribution to the         volume, and the number graph represents the distribution of the         particle number. The intensity graph has a merit of learning the         distribution of the particles having various sizes, but also has         a demerit that the micro-sized particle seems to really occupy         most of the distribution because it causes high signal per unit         particle. On the other hand, the number graph has a merit of         showing the distribution of the particle number, but also has a         demerit that the graph is drawn almost excluding the micro-size.     -   TEM (Transmission electron microscopy): TEM is a representative         device which can analyze the morphology of a nano-material such         as size, shape, surface condition. In order to analyze the         primary the size (the size of each particle before the         agglomeration) of the nano-particles, enough number of the         representative TEM images of the nano-particles are obtained,         and then the size distribution can be analyzed using image         analysis program.     -   XRD (X-ray Diffraction): XRD makes possible to experimentally         measure the crystal phase and the size of the powder-type         nano-particle. Particularly, the minimum crystal the size of the         nano-particle can be calculated using Scherrer formula. For         example, the diffracted x-ray is spread out with the decreasing         crystal the size (<0.2 μm). Full width at half maximum (FWHM) of         the peak of the diffracted x-ray is measured to quantify the         degree of spreading out, and therefor, the particle the size can         be estimated.     -   ICP-MS (Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry): as a         trace element analysis method in the chemical analysis, weight         method, color-developing method, atomic absorption         spectrophotometry, X-ray fluorometry, atomic emission         spectroscopy and the like are developed, and among them, now,         ICP-AES (Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission         spectroscopy) is the most widely used method for analysis. The         ICP-MS (Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy,         hereinafter, called ICP-MS) uses high-temperature plasma as a         source for analysis like the ICP-AES, and both have ability of         simultaneous analysis of multi-element and short analysis time         in common. However, the ICP-MS is able to analyze smaller amount         of element because it has lower detection limit from tens to         thousands times than ICP-AES. These analysis methods are mainly         used to decide the total amount of the nano-particles.

Namely, up to now, in order to observe the change of the cells exposed to the nano-particles, the concentration of the nano-particle solution has been analyzed using the UV/VIS spectrometer or ICP-MS before exposing thereof to the cell culture solution, and the size distribution thereof has been analyzed using the DLS or TEM.

[Problem]

However, these methods may cause following problems.

(1) Concentration Heterogeneity in Medium Caused by Agglomeration and Sedimentation of Nano-Particle

When the nano-particles, which is widely used industrially and generally prepared are dispersed in a cell medium (e.x., RPMI-1640, DMEM), most of the nano-particles are agglomerated and sedimented by high ionic strength of the cell medium as shown in FIG. 1.

The result of the toxicity assessed by the conventional in vitro-based assessment method, wherein the cells are culture at the bottom of a well plate and exposed to the toxic materials, may be the result of the toxicity assessment of the sedimented micro—the size particles but not the toxicity of the nano-particles. The cytotoxicity caused by the sedimented particles after the agglomeration may be different from that of really caused by the nano-particles in the toxicity mechanism, and the toxicity can be overestimated than the real toxicity of the nano-particles due to the heterogeneity of the nano-particles distributed to the higher concentration as going to the bottom of the well plate, and therefore, the causes of these errors should be apparently distinguished.

Further, the concentration of the nano-particles is more excessive around the cells than the concentration of the injected nano-particles because the nano-particles are heterogeneously distributed in a solution when the particles are agglomerated and sedimented. The resulted overestimate of the nano-particle toxicity is one of the biggest errors of the nano-particle toxicity assessment system currently used.

Namely, it is needed to develop a method, which can measure the concentration change of the nano-particles in real-time to the point showing the cellular responsiveness while solving the errors caused by the agglomeration and sedimentation, but quantitative relation between the nano-particles and the cellular responsiveness was difficult to obtain because the conventional methods were performed without considering the concentration changed by the agglomeration and sedimentation.

(2) Error Caused by the Optical or Catalytic Characteristics of Nano-Particle

Further, when apoptosis was assessed by general spectrometry in the state that the prepared nano-particles are sedimented, wrong cellular toxicity may be resulted from the error signals caused by absorption, luminescence, scattering and the like of the sedimented nano-particles.

As one example of the error, there is MTT assay. The MTT assay is a test method using an ability of mitochondria, which reduces MTT tetrazolium, a yellow aqueous substrate to blue-purple non-aqueous MTT formazan by the function of a dehydrogenase, and it is widely used to test the toxicities of various chemicals. Because this technique can obtain reproducible optical concentration by minimum physical treatment, it is widely used as a method to measure the cell activity. However, the fetal errors may be generated in the analysis result when abiotic factors outside of the cell affect the reduction process of the tetrazolium salts.

For example, absorbance value may be changed according to the change of pH, adducts (serum, cholesterol, ascorbic acid salt) of the cell culture solution (Marquis et al, Analyst, 2009, 134, 425-439). Further, recently, several studies about the nano-material reported that there may be errors to measure apoptosis by the interaction of cellular toxicity staining material such as MTT with carbon-based material such as SWCNTs and others. It is recently reported that the interaction between MTT and SWCNTs is induced due to its property, wherein the reduced MTT formazan is not dissolved out by a solvent because it is attached to the surface of the SWCNTs (Worle-Knirsch et al, Nano Lett 2006, 6, 1028-33). And Laaksonen et al. reported that the oxidation reaction on the surface of PSi nano-particles becomes a caused of the MTT reduction reaction, and the MTT can be reduced directly. Therefore, performing a toxicity test to PSi particle ingredient using MTT assay has a limit to obtain a quantitative result (Laaksonen et al. Chem. Res. Toxicol. (2007)). These errors of the existing MTT assay are mostly resulted from the interaction such as the reduction of MTT to MTT-formazan by abiotic causes existing outside of the cell.

(3) Limit of the Conventional Nano-Particle Analysis Method

Because UV/VIS spectrometer to measure the concentration of the nano-materials measures the change in optical density caused by the scattering or uptake of the nano-particles, quantification of the measured value may decrease when the scattering or absorption characteristics is changed by the change in the kind of the nano-particles or in aqueous solution (e.x., agglomeration, surface change and the like).

ICP-MS is an analysis method to detect the total amount of the subject element present in the sample, and therefore, there is a problem that the materials (e.x., ions dissolved from the particles) which are same with the real nano-particle and present with different shape in a solution, as well as the real nano-particles were detected simultaneously so as to be difficult to be distinguished.

In case of DLS, there are problems that when particles having various the size are in the solution at the same time, the information of the small particles can't be obtained easily because the scattered light from the large particles is big, and that the solution having low concentration can't be easily measured.

The particle the size analysis using TEM or XRD provides the size information of the nano-particles, but it is only measured in the dried powder state, and therefore, the information of the nano-particles really dispersed in the solution can't be accurately confirmed. It is because the assumption that the sample condition can be changed on the pre-treatment process can't be excluded. Further, because the pre-treatment process is required, it is difficult to detect the real-time the size change of the nano-particles in real-time, and because the obtained images only show the extremely small part of the total sample, the problem of the representativeness is also contained.

Therefore, the present invention is objective to provide a method, which can compensate the previously reported problems of the nano-toxicity assessment by minimizing the errors caused by exposure dose agglomeration, sedimentation and the like to the nano-particles really accumulated in a cell in the cellular toxicity assessment, and by measuring and interpreting the influence of the nano-particles to the cell growth or death in real-time.

Regarding this matter, in the present invention, we want to reduce the errors from two main points of view.

In order to analyze the nano-material toxicity, first of all, the present invention analyzes the dose characteristics of the nano-material itself which influences on cells.

Namely, the factors of the error caused by the changes in the concentration and the size of the nano-materials which are generated when the nano-materials are agglomerated in a cell culture solution are removed. For example, the concentration (number) and the size (Hydrodynamic size) distribution of the nano-materials dispersed in a cell medium; agglomeration and sedimentation coefficients of the nano-materials in a cell medium; and cellular uptake of the nano-materials are analyzed to select only the cellular responsiveness affected by the nano-particles. For this, a method and device using Selective multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM) are used.

Next, actual influence of the nano-material on the cells is analyzed by measuring the cellular responsiveness.

In order to objectively analyze the direct influence of the nano-materials on apoptosis and the like, the present invention removes the errors of the existing apoptosis analysis method caused by indirect toxic factors, for example, the errors caused by the heterogeneity of the nano-particles in an aqueous solution resulted from the agglomeration and sedimentation or the errors caused by optical or catalytic reactivity of the nano-particles so as to selectively assess only the direct toxic effect of the nano-materials.

For this, after the mSPIM analysis, the cellular responsiveness to the nano-material are measured using sequentially staining method, flow cytometry, image cytometry, analysis using a normal and inverted exposure apparatus and the like. In one embodiment of the present invention, the image cytometry and the normal and inverted exposure apparatus were used.

Thus, in the present invention, the nano-material toxicity can be objectively and accurately assessed by combining the result of selectively choosing the cells reacted to the nano-materials in consideration of the concentration and the size of the nano-materials using mSPIM followed by analyzing; and the result of sequentially analyzing the cellular responsiveness by observing the degree of apoptosis to the nano-materials.

Therefore, one aspect of the present invention relates to a method or system for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials comprising the steps of: 1) assessing the does characteristics of the nano-material itself using Selective multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM); 2) assessing the cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials; and 3) combining results of the assessed dose characteristics of the nano-materials and the cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials, and a device therefor. A concept map of in vitro platform for the toxicity assessment of the nano-materials was shown in FIG. 2.

[Analysis Using Spim-Nano-Material Dose Characteristics Assessment]

First of all, the present invention is characterized by analyzing the dose characteristics of the nano-material itself which influences on the cells using Selective multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM).

In order to accurately analyze the nano-material toxicity, error causes resulted from the changes in the concentration (number) and the size distribution by the agglomeration of the nano-materials in a cell culture solution can be removed by using mSPIM. Namely, the cellular response affected by the nano-particles can be only selected by analyzing the concentration (number) and the size (Hydrodynamic size) distribution of the nano-materials dispersed in a cell medium; agglomeration and sedimentation coefficients of the nano-materials in a cell medium; and cellular uptake of the nano-materials.

In case of general chemicals, intracellular delivery by diffusion is a main process because there is no agglomeration or sedimentation, but in case of the nano-material, which can be agglomerated or sedimented, the concentration heterogeneity of the nano-materials by the sedimentation and passive intracellular delivery can be important causes in the nano-material toxicity assessment. Further, in comparison with the condition in the organs of a living body such as blood vessel and the like, when the heterogeneous nano-particles are applied to the convention method only considering the cells at the bottom plane, distorted toxicity results can be obtained because cells are three-dimensionally distributed to the directions of up, down, left and right.

FIG. 1 is disclosed in a paper issued in 2007 by Justin G. Teeguarden et al., and is reported that because the concentration of the nano-particles is changed according to the agglomeration and sedimentation when the nano-particles are really exposed to a cell culture medium, errors may be occurred if the cellular responsiveness of the nano-particles is quantified only with the initial exposure concentration. Further, it shows that the diffusion and sedimentation rates are different according to the size of the nano-particles, and therefore, the concentration heterogeneity may be occurred according to the height. Therefore, in case of the cells cultured at the bottom of the medium, the cellular responsiveness can be more expressed by the influence of the sedimentation of the nano-particles.

To solve the problems, in the present invention, the concentration homogeneity change of the nano-particles in an aqueous solution caused by the agglomeration and sedimentation of the nano-particles is corrected in real-time using a nano-particle real-time monitoring device combined with Selective multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM), and the dose of the nano-particles delivered from the cell medium to the cells (Delivered & Cellular dose) and the amount of the nano-materials accumulated in the cells (Cellular uptake of NPs) are measured in real-time. Therefore, the present invention solves the errors generated when the dose really delivered to the cell medium and the cells (Delivered & Cellular dose) is measured.

At this time, mSPIM can be combined according to the purpose.

For example,

(i) a combination of two or more SPIMs of PLS (parallel light sheet) mode, or

(ii) a combination of SPIM of PLS (parallel light sheet) mode with SPIM of HILO (Highly inclined and laminated optical sheet) mode or TIR (Total internal reflection) mode can be used. When the combination (i) of two or more SPIMs is installed, it is purposed to measure the agglomeration coefficient in a cell medium according to the sample height, and when the combination (ii) of two or more SPIMs of is installed, it is purposed to measure the cellular uptake of nano-particles.

The method or system using the Selective multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM) of the present invention may comprise the following processes as one specific example:

Exposing the nano-material to the cell medium;

Measuring the concentration (number) and the size distribution of the nano-materials dispersed in the cell medium using Selective multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM);

Calculating the agglomeration and sedimentation coefficients of the nano-materials in the cell medium;

Calculating the cellular uptake of the nano-materials in the cells; and

Analyzing the results.

In the above method, first of all, the subject cells are cultured in a cell medium, and the nano-materials are exposed to the cell medium. As the condition and method for cell culture, any common methods known in the art can be sued.

The apoptosis is induced by exposing the nano-materials to the cultured cell medium. The exposure of the nano-materials to the cell medium can be performed using a common nano-material exposure device.

For example, a microfluidic chip or an exposure instrument for well plate produced by using a polymer material such as poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyacrylates, polycarbonates, polycyclic olefins, polyimides, polyurethanes and the like can be used.

In one embodiment of the present invention, PDMS structure was made, and used as a sample holder. Particularly, in the present invention, the sample holder putting the nano-particle solution therein is prepared to have the size which has smaller dose than the existing sample holder having volume of several ml so as to inhibit the flow of the solution by convection and surrounding vibration. This reduces the movement of the nano-particles by factors other than the Brownian movement when the nano-particles dispersed in a solution are observed using laser-based dark field and fluorescent microscope.

More preferably, the surface of the sample holder can be coated to reduce the scattering at the wall. For example, the surface causing irregular reflection due to the roughness of the PDMS surface can be improved more smoothly and transparently by coating pre-polymer solution prepared by diluting PDMS in n-hexane to the PDMS holder.

Further, the quantitative and the size analysis of the nano-materials dispersed in the microfluidic chip can be analyzed by combining the sample holder with a channel of the existing microfluidic chip. In this case, the combination can be conducted by mounting a Teflon structure on a master mold of the microfluidic chip followed by repeating the existing method for preparing the microfluidic chip, or by preparing a PDMS microfluidic chip layer and a PDMS layer using the Teflon structure, respectively, followed by attaching the two layers each other under the condition of oxygen plasma.

The mSPIM can be equipped to the nano-material exposure apparatus. An analyzer equipped with the SPIM may comprise, for example, as described in FIG. 4, a laser-based dark field fluorescent microscope.

And, the present invention has following technical characteristics:

thickness of laser beam is primary reduced by IRIS and slit;

the beam shape is changed to plate shape by a cylindrical lens; and

Image having high-resolution and high-contrast ratio with the minimum background noise can be obtained because the scattering or fluorescent signal of the particles being out of the beam passing route can be excluded by decreasing the beam thickness up to several micrometers due to secondary reduction of the beam thickness by the objective lens.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic diagram of a laser spectroscopy system which can use SPIM method of the present invention.

The laser can be irradiated to various directions, and can be formed thin and wide by IRIS, slit, cylindrical lens, objective lens and the like. Further, the incidence angle to the sample also can be changed by a prism. The scattering and fluorescence generated from the sample can be collected by a detecting objective lens (omitted from FIGs) and CCD camera, and then saved to images.

The concentration of the nano-particles in a solution can be quantitatively measured by directly counting the number of the nano-particles dispersed in the solution by scattering or fluorescence method using laser, and the size distribution of the nano-particles can be analyzed in real-time by measuring the moving distance of the Brownian movement nano-particles per unit time.

Therefore, as another embodiment, the present invention provides a device for analyzing the characteristics of the nano-materials, which is equipped with two or more mSPIMs consisting of a laser light source, a cylindrical lens reducing the laser beam thickness and an objective lens, an objective lens placed perpendicular thereto and focusing fluorescent light, and a detector, nano-material.

In the present invention, the size and the number of the nano-materials dispersed in a cell medium is measured using mSPIM.

In this case, the measurement of the number of the nano-conducted by measuring the concentration and the size distribution of the nano-materials in 2 or more sample heights using mSPIM of PLS (parallel light sheet) mode.

Namely, the agglomeration and sedimentation coefficients of the nano-material in a cell medium can be calculated by measuring the changes in the number and the size of the nano-particles, and then measuring the rate changes in the number and the size of the nano-particles according to the agglomeration and sedimentation.

At this time, the particle number as well as the particle the size increase according to the time at the part having lower observing height; but the particle number decrease by the agglomeration and sedimentation of the particles according to the time at the part having higher observing height, and only small the size particles are remained.

On the other hand, the calculation of the cellular uptake of the nano-materials can be conducted by measuring the concentration and the size distribution of the nano-materials really exposed; and the concentration and the size distribution of the nano-material accumulated in a cell.

In this case, the calculation can be conducted by using SPIM of PLS (parallel light sheet) mode; and the combination of SPIMs of HILO (Highly inclined and laminated optical sheet) mode or TIR (Total internal reflection) mode. Through this mSPIM combination, the cellular uptake of the nano-materials can be calculated by measuring the concentration and the size distribution of the really exposed nano-materials; and the concentration and the size distribution of the nano-materials accumulated in the cells. In this case, whether the particles materials dispersed in a cell medium can be conducted by nano-material image analysis in real time. The image analysis can be conducted by using video or continuously shot images. For example, the image analysis using imageJ can be used.

And, the size distribution of the nano-materials dispersed in a cell medium is analyzed by using diffusion efficient D according to Brownian movement of the nano-materials through the image analysis of video or continuously shoot images of the nano-materials.

D=kT/(6πηr)

wherein, k is Boltzmann constant, T is temperature, η is solution viscosity and r is radius of nano-materials (nano particles).

In order to measuring the size change of the nano-particles dispersed in a cell medium in real-time, the nano-particle images (collection of video or continuously shoot images) are analyzed, and then diffusion coefficient D of Brownian movement nano-particles can be measured from mean-square-displacements (MSD), mean-square of the moving distance, of the nano-particles. The size of the nano-particle can be calculated by substituting to stoke-einstein formula.

Next, the agglomeration and sedimentation coefficients of the nano-materials in a cell medium, and the cellular uptake of the nano-materials are calculated.

The calculation of the agglomeration and sedimentation coefficients of the nano-materials in a cell medium can be are accumulated in the cell can be decided with a point when the movements are slowing down by tracking the Brownian movement particles.

The cells are culture at lower plane of the sample holder, and when the nano-particles dispersed in the culture solution are exposed, the real cellular uptake of the nano-particles to the cells may be different from the initial cellular uptake of the nano-particles thereto because the nano-particles are agglomerated and sedimented according to the condition of the culture solution. Therefore, in order to measure the real cellular uptake of the nano-particles to the cells, a laser light source in the form of HILO can be introduced. The cellular uptake of the nano-particles can be measured in the HLO form wherein the laser is irradiated with refraction by passing through the prism to the bottom plane, and at the same time, the nano-particles dispersed to the PLS form can be observed in the middle of the sample.

Thus, the dose characteristics of the nano-material itself can be assess by analyzing the relation of the cellular responsiveness to the particles really uptaken by the cells, based on the calculation of the agglomeration and sedimentation coefficients of the nano-materials in a cell medium and the calculation of the cellular uptake of the nano-materials using SPIM.

[Cellular Responsiveness Analysis]

In the present invention, after analyzing the characteristics of the nano-material using the mSPIM, cellular responsiveness to the nano-material is sequentially assessed. The cellular responsiveness analysis to the nano-material can be performed by confirming association of the nano-material and apoptosis.

The method of cellular responsiveness analysis to the nano-material, which can be used, is not limited, but a staining method, flow cytometry, image cytometry, analysis using a normal and inverted exposure apparatus and the like can be used.

For example, the apoptosis can be analyzed quantitatively using image cytometry. A schematic diagram of the image cytometry was illustrated in FIG. 13.

At this time, as the image cytometry, any conventional method which can be used to image cytometry such as cell morphology analysis, fluorescence image analysis or absorption image analysis can be used without limitation. Particularly, regarding analysis using the improved absorption image analysis of each cell, Korean patent application No. 10-2009-0133151 can be referred to.

For example, organic fluorescent dyes such as DCF, DiOC6, Hoechest 33432 and the like; inorganic nano-particles such as quantum dot (QD) and the like; or fluorescent proteins such as GFP, RFP, YFP and the like can be used for the fluorescence image analysis, and absorption dyes selected from a group consisting of MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)), MTS (5-(3-caroboxymeth-oxyphenyl)-2H-tetra-zolium inner salt), WST (4-[3-(4-Iodophenyl)-2(4-nitrophenyl)-2H-5-tetrazolio]1,3-benzene disulfonate) and trypan blue can be used for the absorption image analysis.

The quantification of the degree of apoptosis is conducted by analyzing value of the morphology factor selected from a group consisting of occupied area per cell and Circularity; mean fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell; and integrated fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell, from the filmed images.

Circularity=4π×(cell area/cell perimeter²)

Mean fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell=mean of fluorescent intensities or absorbances of each fixel in a cell region

Integrated fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell=mean fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell×number of fixel occupied by a cell

In the step of quantifying the degree of apoptosis, parameters comprising the fluorescence intensity or absorbance per cell obtained from image analysis were independently subjected to univariate analysis to obtain a dose-responsiveness curve, and the degree of apoptosis progression was quantified. These results of the quantitative analysis of apoptosis can be combined, and therefore, the relation of the cellular responsiveness to the particles really uptaken by the cells can be analyzed.

Flow charts of performance processes in case of the cell morphology analysis were shown in FIGS. 14 to 16. And, the charts in case of the absorption image analysis were shown in FIGS. 17 to 19.

The absorption image analysis is briefly described with one example, and it may comprise following processes.

Inducing apoptosis reaction by exposing a cell layer to the nano-materials;

Inducing crystal formation or cell staining by injection absorption dyes;

Taking pictures of the cell layer, and extracting at least one apoptosis factor selected from a group consisting of absorption factor per cell, cell number and morphology factor value from the shoot images; and

quantifying the apoptosis mechanism and the degree of apoptosis by analyzing the parameter of the extracted apoptosis factors.

As previously described, MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)), MTS (5-(3-caroboxymeth-oxyphenyl)-2H-tetra-zolium inner salt), WST (4-[3-(4-Iodophenyl)-2(4-nitrophenyl)-2H-5-tetrazolio]1,3-benzene disulfonate) and trypan blue can be sued for fluorescence analysis. When MTT is used, the wavelength selectively passing through to obtain images at the maximum absorption region may be in a range of 550 nm±60 nm; when MTS formazan is used as a fluorescent dye, the wavelength selectively passing through to obtain images at the maximum absorption region may be in a range of 490 nm±60 nm; and when trypan blue is used as a fluorescent dye, the wavelength selectively passing through to obtain images at the maximum absorption region may be in a range of 590 nm±80 nm. Particularly, when MTT is used as a florescent dye, it is preferred to give the optimum time of 10-240 min to induce the formation of formazan crystal by the oxidation-reduction reaction.

In this case, the shooting of the cell layer can be performed using a cell image analysis device which comprises: a light source in the visible light region to obtain optical images selected from a group consisting of tungsten lamp, LED light source and laser light source; a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera detecting cell images collected from an objective lens; a cell culture platform to place a cell culture system containing a mono cell layer; a device for passing through the wave at the light source to obtain images at the maximum absorption region applied to the used fluorescent dye; and an image processing program, which can extract at least one apoptosis factor selected from a group consisting of fluorescence factor per cell, cell number and morphology factor value by analyzing the images obtained from the CCD camera and quantify the apoptosis process.

The absorbance per cell in the shoot image as a absorption factor per cell can be extracted by distinguishing the cells in the shoot image at a microscope equipped with image acquiring constituent, analyzing the shoot image at the image analysis program to segmentate, and overlapping each analyzed and selected cells to an image which was transferred to absorbance after dividing the signal (I) in the original image with signal value (I₀) of the background region not containing the cells followed by transforming it to log value.

And, the degree of apoptosis is quantified by analyzing the value of the morphology factor selected from a group consisting of occupied area per cell and Circularity; or as an absorption factor, at least one absorbance selected from a group consisting of mean absorbance per cell and integrated absorbance per cell, from the filmed images.

Like this, as one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials comprising the steps of analyzing dose characteristics of the nano-materials using Selective Multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM), and analyzing cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials using image cytometry.

As another example, the present invention can assess the cellular responsiveness by quantifying apoptosis through analysis using a normal•inverted exposure apparatus.

The method can selectively assess the direct toxic effect of the nano-materials to in vitro cells by minimizing the influence of the heterogeneity of the nano-particles in a solution caused by the agglomeration and the sedimentation. Namely, this method is characterized by exposing the nano-materials to the cells using an “inverted exposure apparatus” together with the normal exposure apparatus.

Because cells are really not only located on the bottom but also evenly distributed to all directions of up, down, right and left in organs in a living body, when the heterogeneous nano-particles are exposed in the living body, there are errors that the toxicities of the cells located at the up, left and right planes are different from the toxicity of the cell located on the bottom plane. Therefore, wrong toxicity result can be obtained if the toxicity assessment of the heterogeneous nano-particles, which can be agglomerated and sedimented, is performed using the conventional in vitro toxicity assessment method (FIG. 20).

In the present invention, a three-dimensional in vitro toxicity assessment method by placing the cells at the top and bottom planes to expose the heterogeneous nano-particles can be used to solve the problem. When the toxicity assessment of the nano-particles is performed by placing the cells at the top and bottom planes, only practical toxicity of the nano-particles, wherein the toxicities or the toxicity mechanism of nano-particles to the cells of the top and bottom planes are compared according to the degree of heterogeneity of the nano-particles, or the toxicity according to the concentration gradient generated from the sedimentation of the nano-particles removed, can be selectively assessed.

Namely, the use of the normal and inverted exposure apparatus comprises the correction of the concentration resulted from the heterogeneity of the nano-materials in a cell medium, and at this time, the concentration of the exposed nano-materials can be corrected using the known formulas (theoretical formula, empirical formula) reflecting the stability of the nano-materials in the cell medium [see: Justin G. Teeguarden et al., TOXICOLOGICAL SCIENCES 95(2), 300-312 (2007)].

Particularly, when using the normal and inverted exposure apparatus, Image Cytometry can be used together, more preferably, to solve the error problem of caused by the optical or catalytic property of the nano-particles when measuring the cell activity.

When the nano-particles are exposed in the previously mentioned inverted nano-material exposure apparatus, the influence of the sedimented nano-particles can be removed, but the errors resulted from the optical or catalytic property of the nano-particles, which is generated by the extracellular nano-particles, can't be removed. Therefore, image cytometry can be used to remove the interruption caused by the catalytic property of the nano-particles. The image cytometry is same as described above.

Namely, in the present invention, the degree of cell death progression caused by apoptosis and necrosis of the cells attached to the surface are analyzed by applying a modified MTT (Tetrazolium-based colorimetric) assay and image processing method in a multiwell plate using an inverted nano-material exposure apparatus. The influence resulted from the heterogeneity of the nano-particles in an aqueous solution due to the agglomeration and sedimentation is minimized using a normal and inverted exposure apparatus, and the errors of the existing apoptosis analysis method caused by the optical or catalytic reactivity of the nano-particles are minimized by using Image Cytometry. And the results of the quantitative analysis of the apoptosis are combined, and then the cellular responsiveness to the nano-particles really uptaken by the cells is analyzed.

Therefore, as another example, the present invention provides a method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials comprising the steps of: assessing the does characteristics of the nano-material itself using Selective multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM); and assessing the cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials using a normal and inverted exposure apparatus.

Like this, the present invention more accurately and objectively assess the toxicity of the nano-materials by sequentially analyzing the dose characteristics of the nano-materials and the cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials, and then combining (considering) each results.

[Platform and Device]

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a device and platform for the toxicity assessment of the nano-materials, which can perform the method or system for the toxicity assessment of the nano-materials.

Further, the present invention provides a nano-material toxicity assessment device and platform equipped with each analyzer to perform the analysis using mSPIM, image cytometry and analysis using a normal and inverted exposure apparatus sequentially through one device. The schematic diagrams thereof were illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The characteristics and the cellular responsiveness of the nano-materials can be sequentially measured using the device equipped with mSPIM consisting of a laser light source, a cylindrical lens reducing the laser beam thickness and an objective lens, an objective lens placed perpendicular thereto and focusing fluorescent light, and a detector (FIGS. 3 and 4); which comprises a channel to analyze the characteristics of the nano-materials exposed in a cell culture solution (located in {circumflex over (1)}) of FIG. 3), a channel to measure the cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials (located in {circle around (2)} of FIG. 3), and a channel to analyze the characteristics of the nano-material after exposed to the cells (located in {circle around (3)} of FIG. 3).

Descriptions for each apparatus and method are same as described above.

Thus, the present invention can reduce the errors caused by the heterogeneity of the nano-particles, and therefore can more accurately and reproducibly assess the dose-responsiveness relation of the nano-particles by directly measuring the quantitative and the size distribution of the nano-particles using mSPIM in real-time, and by monitoring agglomeration coefficient of the nano-particles in a cell medium, the nano-particles cellular uptake and the like.

Furthermore, the present invention can assess the nano-material toxicity more accurately and objectively by performing a method, which can selectively assess the degree of the nano-material uptake and the direct toxicity of the nano-materials by minimizing the influence resulted from the heterogeneity of the nano-particles in an aqueous solution due to the agglomeration and sedimentation; and minimizing the errors of the existing apoptosis analysis method caused by the optical or catalytic reactivity of the nano-particles; and the like.

Therefore, the present invention is very useful to secure a safety guideline about the hazard which can affect the nano-materials production, environment and health by enabling the danger (toxicity) by the nano-material exposure to be accurately figured out and understood.

EXAMPLE

Hereinafter, the present invention will be more particularly described by the preferred examples. However, these are intended to illustrate the invention as preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

First of all, the effectiveness of (i) a method for assessing the does characteristics of the nano-material itself using Selective multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM) and (ii) a method analyzing the cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials using staining method or a normal•inverted nano-material exposure apparatus were experimentally reviewed.

Example 1-1 Analysis of Characteristics of Nano-Material Using SPIM

(1) Laser-based Dark Field and Fluorescent Microscope Constitution

The laser-based dark field and fluorescent microscope was formed as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Laser used as a light source was constituted to use lasers of various wavelengths as to same time to generate fluorescences of various wavelengths, and to reflect a short-wavelength laser and to be passed a long-wavelength laser using a dichroic mirror. Therefore, lasers of various wavelengths could arrive at the sample at the same time.

In order to block the dispersed light, thickness of the laser beam was primarily reduced using an iris and slit. Secondarily, the beam shape was modified through a cylinder lens to the form of thin plate, and tertiarily, the beam thickness was reduced to several micrometers through an objective lens. Because the scattering of the particles or fluorescence signals getting out of the beam pass route can be excluded by reducing the beam thickness, images having high-resolution and high-contrast ratio can be obtained. Using this, the particles of tens of nanometers, which is dispersed in a solution to the concentration of from several ppb to hundreds of ppb, can be observed. As shown in FIG. 5, a prism can be located in front of the sample holder so as to observe in HILO or TIR(Total Internal Reflection) mode. In this case, an angle of the prism may decide HILO or TIR mode.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a sample holder which can observe HILO or TIR form. The laser entered horizontally to the sample can realize the HILO or TIR mode by passing through the prism, which is attached in front of the microfluidic chip by van der waals force, followed by being refracted. In case of the HILO, the laser is irradiated by being refracted with the at several-degree angle from a horizontal plane. In case of the TIR, the sample within the height range of several hundred nm from the bottom side can be observed because an evanescent field is formed on the total reflection face.

(2) Production of Sample Holder

PDMS structure was produced using a Teflon mold and used as a sample holder.

The size of the sample holder where the nano-particle solution is put was 2 mm×5 mm×3 mm, and it had smaller dose than the existing sample holder having several ml volume such as a cuvet.

Further, in order to reduce the scattering at walls, the PDMS holder primarily produced with the Teflon structure was coated with a pre-polymer solution prepared by diluting PDMS in n-hexane to improve the surface, which caused irregular reflection due to roughness of the PDMS surface, more smoothly and transparently.

The produced sample holder was combined with a channel of the existing microfluidic chip, and quantification and the size analysis were performed of the nano-materials dispersed in the microfluidic chip.

The chip was produced as follows. A Teflon structure was mounted on the master mold of the microfluidic chip, and a pre-polymer prepared by mixing a hardener and PDMS (1:10) was poured followed by hardening thereof at 60° C. oven according to the existing method to prepare the microfluidic chip.

(3) Real-Time Measurement of Number of Nano-Particles Dispersed in Solution

In order to measure the number of the nano-particles in a solution where the nano-particles of different the size were dispersed, 15 nm gold particles (0.477 ppm) and 30 nm gold particles (0.546 ppm) produced at BBI, and 50 nm SiO₂ (0.2 ppm) produced at Biterials were dispersed in a solution, respectively, and they were observed.

The diluted solution was poured into a sample holder having height of 3 mm, and the laser having wavelength of 473 nm was perpendicularly irradiated to the wall of the sample holder. At this time, the nano-particles scattered and brightly shown on the laser pass route was saved to images using a 20× objective lens and CCD camera.

The saved images are the images shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is results of observing gold nano-particles of 15 nm and 30 nm, and silica particles of 50 nm, which are dispersed in DI-water with PLS mode. Because the laser beam was formed thin, the scattered light was not generated at regions out of focal plane and the background is expressed darkly, while the nano-particles located on the passing rout of the laser beam were expressed as bright points because they scattered light.

The particle number was measured by analyzing the save images by image analysis using imageJ. In order to obtain statistically trustable data, one hundred images were saved, and the particle number was measured from the images through Macro function of the imageJ. The variables to be entered to Threshold and the size categories of the Macro can be changed, and there may be an image adjustment process such as a maximum filter.

(4) Real-Time Measuring Number of Nano-Particles Dispersed in Solution

One hundred photos of the nano-particles dispersed in a solution were shoot with about 50 ms hour or less time interval, and diffusion efficient (D) of the Brownian movement nano-particles was measured from mean-square-displacements (MSD) of the nano-particles brightly expressed.

Namely, the nano-particle the size was calculated using the stoke-einstein formula:

D=kT/(6πηr).

In the stoke-einstein formula, k is Boltzmann constant, T is temperature, η is solution viscosity and r is particle radius.

In order to track the Brownian movement nano-particles, a solution contained the dispersed 15 nm and 30 nm gold nano-particles were observed with HILO mode.

Each gold nano solution was dropped to a glass having thickness of 1 mm, and covered with a cover slip. It was confirmed that when a prism, wherein an angle of the base plane was about 32°, was placed in front of the cover slip, the laser was entered to the gloss plane with refraction, and then totally reflected at a glass plane contacted with air followed by entering to the nano-particles solution layer with about 4.3° of refraction angle. At this time, the median values of the observed the size distribution of the nano-particles were 19.3 nm and 36.7 nm, respectively, as shown in FIG. 7.

(5) Measuring Agglomeration and Sedimentation Rate Coefficients of Nano-Particles

In order to measure the agglomeration and sedimentation rate coefficients of the nano-particles exposed to the cell medium, a microfluidic chip as shown in FIG. 8 was made.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a system, which can monitor in real-time the changes of the concentration and the size of the nano-particles which may occur during cell culture. The changes in the concentration and the size caused by the diffusion, agglomeration and sedimentation of the nano-particles were measured by simultaneously irradiating the laser beams of PLS forms having different heights to the different height points of the cell culture chamber as a sample holder.

The cell culture solution was poured into the prepared microfluidic cell chip and stored in 37° C. incubator at for 6 hours to make a condition where the cells can be cultured. Then, the certain concentration of the cells remained after serial culture were seeded to the cell culture channel in the microfluidic cell chip, and cultured at 37° C. incubator for 48 hours or more. After the cell culture, the nano-particles were diluted with PBS buffer to the lower concentration of from several ppm to several ppb followed by being seeded to the microfluidic cell chip.

The prepared microfluidic cell chip was placed in a dark field and fluorescent microscope based on “SPIM” constituted as shown in FIG. 4, and the number change according to the agglomeration and sedimentation of the nano-particles dispersed in the cell culture solution in real-time using the laser light source of PLS form.

One hundreds of continuous photos of the dispersed nano-particles were obtained with about 50 ms hour or less of time interval. After 30 min, other one hundreds of continuous photos were obtained with about 50 ms hour of time interval. Like this, one hundreds of continuous photos were obtained with about 50 ms hour of time interval every 30 min for totally 10 hours. When the changes in the nano-particle number and the size according to the time were measured from the obtained images, and the change rate in the number and the size were measured according to the agglomeration and the sedimentation of the nano-particles, the results shown in FIG. 7 were able to be expected.

Namely, when the lower part of the dispersed nano-particles was observed (LS#1), the nano-particles were enlarged and sedimented, and the particle number increased according to the time because the dispersed nano-particles were sedimentated and agglomerated according to the time. And when the upper part of the dispersed solution was observed (LS#2), the particles were agglomerated according to the time, the enlarged particles were sedimented, and therefore, the result showed the tendency that the particle number was gradually reduced and only small particles were remained at the upper part because the enlarged particles were not observed.

In other words, the particle number as well as the particle the size increased according to the time at the part having lower observing height; but the particle number decreased by the agglomeration and sedimentation of the particles according to the time at the part having higher observing height, and only small the size particles were remained.

(6) Measuring Cellular Uptake of Nano-Particles

The cells were cultured at the lower face of the sample holder, and the real cellular uptake of the nano-particles injected to the cells may be different from the amount of the nano-particles initially injected to the culture solution because the nano-particles were agglomerated or sedimented according to the condition of the culture solution when the cells were exposed to the nano-particles scattered in the culture solution.

Therefore, a laser source in the form of HILO was introduced to measure the amount of the nano-particles really injected into the cells because the cellular uptaken nano-particles can be measured with the HILO form, wherein the laser passed through a prism and obliquely irradiated to the bottom, and at the same time, the nano-particles scattered in the middle of the sample to the PLS form can be observed.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the combined form of HILO mode to measure the Cellular uptake dose of the nano-particles and PLS mode to measure the nano-particles dispersed in a solution at the same time. The nano-particles accumulated in the cells was directly being observed with the light source of the HILO form which transverses the cells cultured on the bottom face of the sample holder (HILO#1) while the nano-particles which were changed according to the time were being monitored with the light source of the PLS form which transverses the middle of the sample holder (LS#2).

As a result, as shown in FIG. 11, the cellular uptake dose increased in a time-dependent manner (HILO#1) while the dose of the dispersed nano-particles at the upper part of the cell decreased in a time-dependent manner (LS#2).

When the Brownian particles are tracked, a point when the movements are slowing down can decide whether the particles are accumulated in the cell, and therefore, results of observing the cells and the nano-particles actually dispersed in the cell culture solution with HILO mode were shown in FIG. 12. The Brownian movements of the dispersed particles on the cell surface were observed before they were accumulated in the cell.

Example 1-2 Cellular Responsiveness Analysis to Nano-Material

The effectiveness of the method analyzing the cellular responsiveness of the nano-materials was experimentally checked as follows.

(1) Measuring Cellular Responsiveness Using Image Cytometry

The cells exposed to the nano-particles was stained using a fluorescent dye related to the apoptosis, their images were filmed, and then the apoptosis was quantitatively analyzed by image cytometry.

MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide)) was used as the dye used to the fluorescent staining. Image cytometry was performed from the each obtained bright field images using image analysis program software (Image J).

The degree of apoptosis progress was quantitatively analyzed by quantifying the cell number, cell morphology, absorbance per cell and the like using informations about absorption factor and circularity from the above analyzed results.

The image analysis system used for the above analysis used a technique using an optical microscope equipped with a tungsten lamp as a light source and charge coupling device (CCD) as a basic technique in order to obtain optical images (bright field images), and a microfluidic chip was mounted on xy-z stage followed by taking images about the apoptosis progress of the cells cultured in the microfluidic chip from a computer connected to the CCD camera, and then the microfluidic chip was arranged to be able to culture the cells under continuous flow condition using the flow by a syringe pump connected to the medium and a sample reservoir or gravity.

The cell culture environment similar with the cell culture incubator could be prepared on the microscope by maintaining the condition of 5% CO₂ and 37° C. in the microfluidic chip of the microscope, and real-time cell image shooting was made possible. The images saved on the computer were analyzed using the image processing software. Through the analysis, a result that the cells exposed to the toxic material of relatively lower concentration had low circularity value, but the cells exposed to the toxic material of the relatively higher concentration had high morphology factor (circularity) was obtained. It was confirmed that the mean value of the morphology factor of the cells, which grows by being attached to the culture dish was present between 0.5 and 0.7, and the value of the morphology factor of the cells changed in shape going through the apoptosis was 0.8 or more.

The absorbance per cell as the absorption factor per cell can be extracted from the shoot images by distinguishing the cells in the shoot image at a microscope equipped with image acquiring constituent, analyzing the shoot image at the image analysis program to segmentate, and overlapping each analyzed and selected cells to an image which was transferred to absorbance after dividing the signal (I) in the original image with signal value (I₀) of the background region not containing the cells followed by transforming it to log value.

A=log(I ₀ /I)

In the above step, the degree of apoptosis can be quantified by analyzing value of the morphology factor selected from a group consisting of occupied area per cell and Circularity; or at least one absorbance per cell as a fluorescence factor selected from a group consisting of mean absorbance per cell and integrated absorbance (A: absorbance per cell, I: intensity of light expressed in a region containing cells at shoot optical images, IC): intensity of light expressed in a background region not containing cells at shoot optical images).

Circularity=4π×(cell area/cell perimeter²)

Mean absorbance per cell=mean of absorbances of each fixel in a cell region

Integrated absorbance per cell=mean absorbance per cell×number of fixel occupied by a cell

In the step of quantifying the degree of apoptosis, parameters comprising the absorbance per cell obtained from image analysis were independently subjected to univariate analysis to obtain a dose-responsiveness curve, and the degree of apoptosis progression was quantified. And error of the existing apoptosis analysis method caused by the scattering of the nano-particle itself, i.e., optical or catalytic reactivity of the nano-particles were reduced by using the image cytometry.

Herein, the relation of the cellular responsiveness to the real cellular uptake of the nano-particles was analyzed by linking the really accumulated amount of the nano-particles in the cell measured in HILO form with the degree of apoptosis measured by image analysis, and the results were illustrated in FIG. 12.

(2) Using Normal and Inverted Nano-Material Exposure Apparatus

1) Preparation of normal and inverted nano-material exposure apparatus, and cell culture

Like the drawings shown in FIG. 22, a normal and inverted exposure apparatus was prepared using transparent Poly carbonate and acryl bond. Two rectangles having the size of 1.5 cm×0.8 cm×0.3 cm were attaché to a square top having the size of 1.5 cm×1.5 cm×0.2 cm to prepare a desk-shape structure as legs. A polystyrene plate having the size of 1.5 cm×1.5 cm was used as a cell culture substrate. The nano-material exposure apparatus and the cell culture substrate were washed with soapy water, and then submerged in 70% ethanol and sonicated for 30 min to wash.

On the other hand, the plasma-treated square polystyrene plate having the size of 1.5 cm×1.5 cm was located in a 12-multiwell plate, and the nano-material exposure apparatus was mounted on the edge of the polystyrene plate followed by fixing.

The cultured cancer cell line (Hela cell line, Korea Biological Resource Center, Korea) were extracted as a suspension from the bottom of the cell culture dish to the concentration of 10⁴˜10⁵ cells/mL, and then seeded to the multiwell plate. The seeded cells formed attached-monolayer cell colony on the surface of the polystyrene plate. At this time, Dulcecoo's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM, Gibco, Grand Island, N.Y., USA, with 10% fetal bovine serum (Gibco, Grand Island, N.Y., USA)), 1% Penicillin-Streptomcyin (Gibco, Grand Island, N.Y., USA))) was used and incubated for about 24 hours.

Treatment of Nano-Material Using Normal and Inverted Exposure Apparatus

A cell culture substrate, wherein animal cells were attached, was installed to the produced normal and inverted nano-material exposure apparatus facing up and down, respectively, and fixed. For normal nano-material exposure, the medium was removed in the state that the cells were cultured, and for inverted nano-material exposure, the nano-material exposure apparatus was installed to make legs thereof face up and to make top touch the bottom side followed by installing the cell culture substrate to the cell-attached side face down. And, the nano-material exposure apparatus wherein the cell layer was fixed thereto was installed in a multiwell plate, and the nano-materials were exposed. Namely, the cell culture solution comprising the nano-materials (TiO₂) was exposed, and at this time, the solution was added to the volume (3 ml) as much as the cell culture substrate in the inverted nano-material exposure apparatus was submerged.

The normal exposure was conducted by irradiating UV-A to the nano-materials from the bottom side of the multi well plate for 1 hour and 20 min, and the inverted exposure was conducted by irradiating UV-A to the nano-materials from the top side of the multi well plate for 1 hour and 20 min (FIG. 23). Then, the UV-A irradiated plates were put into a incubator (temperature: 37° C., and CO₂ concentration: 5%), and the nano-particles (TiO₂) were exposed for total 20 hours including the UV-A irradiation time.

Analysis of Apoptosis Degree

The modified MTT assay according to the present invention and the conventional MTT assay as a control were performed. The processes of the conventional method and the modified method suggested in the present invention were shown in FIG. 21, respectively.

To perform the conventional MTT assay, cells were cultured in a 96 well plate to the proper concentration followed by adding a toxic material, and then 100 μL of non-aqueous yellow MTT solution diluted 10-folds with the medium was added to each well. The plate was incubated at a incubator (temperature: 37° C., CO₂ concentration: 5%) to make the formazan crystal be formed. After about 4 hours, extra medium was removed, and 200 μL of DMSO was added to each well to dissolve the non-aqueous formazan formed in the cell followed by analyzing absorbance at 595 nm using a microplate reader.

And, MTT assay was performed according to the image cytometry suggested in the present invention (Example 1-2)). The nano-materials were treated with the cells, which were properly cultured in a multi well plate, for 20 hours, and then the nano-materials were removed followed by exposing 1.5 ml MTT solution diluted 10-folds with the medium. The absorbance value by the MTT formazan crystal should be within a range having effective fixel value at a bright field image. Therefore, in order to optimize the crystal formation time, total 30 min of the formazan crystal formation time was given. After the crystals were formed, a process dissolving the formazan crystals with an organic solvent (e.x., DMSO) was not needed unlike the existing MTT assay, and bright field images were obtained using a microscope for image acquisition and treatment with the formazan was formed in the cell. Because the MTT formazan has maximum absorbance peak at about 550 nm, a bandpass filter having maximum permeability at 530 nm and band width of 45 nm was used to obtain a short wavelength light source when optical images were obtained.

Cell viability was measured according to the method described above.

First of all, the cell viability according to the concentration of the titanium dioxide nano-particles exposed to the normal and inverted nano-material exposure apparatus was checked and illustrated in FIG. 24. The graph of FIG. 24( a) is the result of the experiment using titanium dioxide nano-particles having 300 nm mean the size in an aqueous solution, and the graph of FIG. 24( b) is the result of the experiment using titanium dioxide nano-particles having 700 nm mean the size in an aqueous solution. In result of (a), the toxicities of the normal cells and inverted cells were different each other when the particles were sedimented because there were many large particles. Namely, the use of the inverted exposure apparatus is meaningful. However, in (b), the toxicities of the normal and inverted cells were not quite different because there was little sedimentation. Namely, it was confirmed that the errors according to the cellular toxicity when the nano-materials were sedimented can be significantly reduced by the method of the present invention using the normal exposure apparatus with the inverted exposure apparatus together. However, the error occurred by the scattering of the nano-particle itself was found although MTT formazan was not generated (FIG. 24( a)).

Therefore, apoptosis reaction was measured using absorbance by analyzing images wherein the influence of the nano-particles was additionally removed absorbance.

FIG. 25 is a graphs showing that error was generated from measuring absorbance by the nano-particles. (a) is the result of comparing the result of apoptosis in the normal nano-material exposure apparatus with the result of apoptosis obtained from image cytometry, and (b) is the result of comparing the result of apoptosis in the inverted nano-material exposure apparatus with the result of apoptosis obtained from image cytometry. Namely, it was confirmed that as shown in FIG. 25, there are difference between the result of using image cytometry and the result of the analysis using a microplate reader.

Therefore, by combining the above results, it can be confirmed that the errors of the existing apoptosis analysis method can be reduced using the inverted nano-material exposure apparatus, and in addition to, the errors caused by the scattering of the nano-particle itself can be more reduced by further analyzing the result of image cytometry.

Thus, effectiveness of each assessing method was confirmed, namely, it was confirmed that the dose characteristics of the nano-materials can be analyzed by the each steps of the present invention, namely, by mSPIM, and the apoptosis analysis also can be more objectively analyzed than the conventional method. Therefore, it was expected that more accurate toxicity assessment was able by combining the results of these two analyses, and the toxicities to the silica nano-materials and silver nano-materials were really analyzed according to the present invention. In this case, the image cytometry was used as a method to analyze the cellular responsiveness in the following experiments, but it is obvious to the skilled person in the art that the results also can be combined by a method using the normal•inverted exposure apparatus.

Example 2 Toxicity Assessment of Silica Nano-Materials

A diagram of a system for sequentially assessing the dose characteristics and the cellular responsiveness of the silica nano-materials was illustrated in FIG. 26.

(1) mSPIM System

The laser entered to the sample was processed to laser bean having wide width (˜250 um) and thin (5 um) using an objective lens and cylindrical lens, and then irradiated to the side of the sample. Then a microscope system was installed to observe the lights scattered from the particles and cells of the point where the irradiated laser beam and the focus coincided.

(2) Preparation of Microfluidic Chip to Use mSPIM

A microfluidic chip was prepared to use the mSPIM system. As shown in FIG. 3 (a chip for sequentially assessing the characteristics and measuring the cellular responsiveness of the silica nano-materials), the microfluidic chip was produced by preparing a chip having height of 3 mm using an upper mold followed by attaching a Top chip, which can link each section, to the top thereof.

(3) Cell Culture in the Chip for Using mSPIM

Cells were injected through a loading port in a cell culture channel. Because each section was linked each other through a microchannel of the Top chip, the cells were able to be injected only to the cell culture channel. After injecting the cells, the cells were stably cultured in a cell incubator with 5% CO₂ for 48 hours.

(4) Exposure of Nano-Particles and Observation of Nano-Particles

A solution prepared by adding the silica nano-particles of each concentration to PBS was injected into a microfluidic cell chip. Then, the chip was located in the mSPIM system, and laser was irradiated by Light sheet way to obtain images from the silica nano-particles using the scattered light. The number and the size of the silica nano-particles were analyzed from the one hundred photos continuously taken.

(5) Measuring Number and the Size of Nano-Particles Through Image Analysis

The measurement was performed using the method suggested in Example 1. The silica nano-particles having the size of 100 nm were exposed, and then the number and the size thereof were analyzed.

The silica nano-particles were tracked from the images using IDL program. Through the tracked silica nano-particles, the analysis was performed by the number of the detected silica nano-particles per image, and diffusion coefficient D of the silica nano-particles was able to be obtained by mean-square-displacements (MSD), mean-square of the moving distance, of each Brownian movement particle. Then, each the size of the tracked nano-particle was able to be calculated by substituting MSD to stoke-einstein formula.

Consequently, as shown in FIG. 27, the changes in the number (concentration) and the size of the silica nano-particles according to time were observed. As shown in FIG. 27, it was confirmed that the size of the silica nano-particles in the cell culture solution was maintained to about 106 nm after exposure due to their stability, and the particle number was little reduced. Further, it was realized that the characteristics of the silica nano-particles in the cell culture solution was be kept.

(6) Cellular Responsiveness Analysis

In order to analyze the responsiveness of the cell exposed to the silica nano-particles for 10 hours, absorption analysis (modified MTT assay) was performed. The cells exposed to the MTT solution did not form purple formazan according to the degree of apoptosis, and absorption image of the cells were analyzed using the fact. Through the image analysis, the absorbance and circularity factors per cell were able to be extracted.

Consequently, as shown in FIG. 28, the cellular responsiveness suggested in cell images, histograms and scatter diagrams was able to be analyzed.

Then, it was observed that the degree of the MTT formazan production of the cells exposed to the silica nano-particles by the modified MTT assay was not changed even when the concentration increased, and the circularity has tendency to be remained constantly. Therefore, it was quantitatively analyzed that the cells did not die through the scatter diagrams.

Example 3 Toxicity Assessment of Silver Nano-Materials

The sequential assessments of the dose characteristics and the cellular responsiveness analysis of silver (Ag) nano-materials were performed by almost identical method with that of the silica nano-materials in Example 2.

First of all, silver nano-particles having the size of 11 nm were exposed using mSPIM system, and then the number and the size of the nano-particles were analyzed.

The results were illustrated in FIGS. 29 and 30. The changes in the number (concentration) and the size of the silver nano-particles according to time were illustrated above, and the cellular responsiveness as suggested in cell images, histograms and scatter diagrams was illustrated.

As shown in FIG. 29, it was confirmed that the size of the silver nano-particles in the cell culture solution increased to about 145 nm right after exposure due to their instability, and the number thereof increased. It was realized that the characteristics of the silver nano-particles in the cell culture solution was changed, and then, it was observed that the production of the MTT formazan of cell exposed to the silver nano-particles decreased with the increased concentration, and the circularity has tendency to increase and then decrease through the modified MTT assay. Therefore, the apoptosis could be quantitatively analyzed through scatter diagrams (FIG. 30).

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosures. Indeed, the novel methods and apparatuses described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosures. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosures. 

1. A method (or system) for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials comprising the steps of: 1) assessing the dose characteristics of the nano-material itself using Selective multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM); 2) assessing the cellular responsiveness to the nano-materials; and 3) combining results of the assessed dose characteristics of the nano-materials and the cellular responses to the nano-materials.
 2. The method or system of claim 1, wherein the dose characteristics of the nano-material itself comprises at least one characteristics selected from a group consisting of the concentration (number, mass, surface area) and the size (Hydrodynamic size) distribution of the nano-materials dispersed in a cell medium; the agglomeration and the sedimentation coefficients of the nano-materials in a cell medium; and the cellular uptake of the nano-materials.
 3. The method or system of claim 2, wherein the measurement of the concentration (number, mass, surface area) of the nano-materials dispersed in a cell medium is conducted in real time through a nano-material image analysis.
 4. The method or system of claim 2, wherein the analysis of the size distribution of the nano-materials dispersed in a cell culture medium is conducted by measuring the diffusion efficient D according to Brownian movement of the nano-materials in real time through an analysis of video or continuously shoot images of the nano-materials: D=kT/(6πηr) wherein, k is Boltzmann constant, T is temperature, η is solution viscosity and r is radius of a nano-material.
 5. The method or system of claim 2, wherein the calculation of the agglomeration and sedimentation coefficients of the nano-materials in a cell medium is conducted by measuring the concentration and the size distribution of the nano-materials in 2 or more sample heights using mSPIM of PLS (parallel light sheet) mode.
 6. The method or system of claim 2, wherein the calculation of the cellular uptake of the nano-materials is conducted by measuring the concentration and the size distribution of the nano-materials really exposed; and the concentration and the size distribution of the nano-material accumulated in a cell.
 7. The method or system of claim 6, which uses SPIM of PLS (parallel light sheet) mode; and the combination of SPIMs of HILO (Highly inclined and laminated optical sheet) mode or TIR (Total internal reflection) mode to calculate the cellular uptake of the nano-materials.
 8. The method or system of claim 1, wherein the step of assessing cellular responses to the nano-material is conducted by at least one method selected from a group consisting of staining method, flow cytometry, image cytometry, analysis using a normal and inverted exposure apparatus and the like.
 9. The method or system of claim 8, wherein the analysis of the cellular responses to the nano-materials is conducted by confirming a link between the nano-materials and apoptosis.
 10. A device for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials which comprises a device equipped with mSPIM consisting of a laser light source, a cylindrical lens reducing the laser beam thickness and an objective lens, an objective lens placed perpendicular thereto and focusing fluorescent light, and a detector; and a device measuring the cellular responses to nano-materials, and is consisted to sequentially measure the nano-material characteristics and the cellular responses using the said devices, respectively.
 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the mSPIM consists of a laser-based dark field fluorescent microscope illustrated in FIG.
 4. 12. The device of claim 10, wherein the mSPIM is bound to a nano-material exposure device.
 13. The device of claim 12, wherein the nano-material exposure device comprises a microfluidic chip or an exposure apparatus for well plate produced by using at least one material selected from a group consisting of glass, quartz, poly(dimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyacrylates, polycarbonates, polycyclic olefins, polyimides and polyurethanes.
 14. The device of claim 10, wherein the mSPIM is (i) a combination of two or more SPIMs of PLS (parallel light sheet) mode; or (ii) a combination of SPIM of PLS (parallel light sheet) mode with SPIM of HILO (Highly inclined and laminated optical sheet) mode or TIR (Total internal reflection) mode.
 15. The device of claim 14, which is designed to measure the distribution of the size (Hydrodynamic size) and the agglomeration coefficient in a cell medium according to the sample height when two or more SPIMs is installed in the combination type (i).
 16. The device of claim 14, which is designed to measure the cellular uptake of nano-particles when of two or more SPIMs of is installed in the combination type (ii).
 17. The device of claim 10, wherein the device for measuring cellular responses to the nano-material is selected from at least one of the group consisting of a flow cytometer, an image cytometer and a normal and inverted exposure apparatus.
 18. A method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials comprising the steps of analyzing the dose characteristics of nano-materials using Selective Multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM), and analyzing the cellular responses to the nano-materials using Image Cytometry.
 19. The method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials of claim 18, wherein the image cytometry consists of cell morphology analysis, fluorescence image analysis or absorption image analysis.
 20. The method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials of claim 19, wherein the fluorescence image analysis uses an organic fluorescent dye, an inorganic nano-particle or a fluorescent protein.
 21. The method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials of claim 19, wherein the absorption image analysis uses an absorption dye selected from a group consisting of MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)), MTS (5-(3-caroboxymeth-oxyphenyl)-2H-tetra-zolium inner salt), WST (4-[3-(4-Iodophenyl)-2(4-nitrophenyl)-2H-5-tetrazolio]1,3-benzene disulfonate) and trypan blue.
 22. The method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials of claim 19, wherein the cell morphology analysis comprises quantification of the degree of apoptosis.
 23. The method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials of claim 22, wherein the quantification of the degree of apoptosis is conducted by analyzing a value of the morphology factor selected from a group consisting of occupied area per cell and Circularity; or at least one fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell selected from a group consisting of: mean fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell, and integrated fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell, from the filmed images: Circularity=4π×(cell area/cell perimeter²) Mean fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell=mean of fluorescent intensities or absorbances of each fixel in a cell region Integrated fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell=mean fluorescent intensity or absorbance per cell×number of fixel occupied by a cell.
 24. A method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials comprising the steps of analyzing the dose characteristics of the nano-materials using Selective Multi-Plane Illumination Microcopy (mSPIM), and analyzing the cellular responses to the nano-materials using a normal and inverted exposure apparatus.
 25. The method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials of claim 24, which further comprises a step of conducting Image Cytometry.
 26. The method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials of claim 24, wherein the normal and inverted exposure apparatus comprises a microfluidic chip or an exposure instrument for well plate prepared from at least one polymer material selected from a group consisting of glass, quartz, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyacrylates, polycarbonates, polycyclic olefins, polyimides and polyurethanes.
 27. The method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials of claim 24, wherein the inverted exposure apparatus is installed to make the cultured cell layer face down so as to exposed to the nano-materials, and used to the effective dose correction of the exposed nano-materials.
 28. The method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials of claim 25, wherein the image cytometry is conducted by absorption method or fluorescence method.
 29. The method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials of claim 28, wherein the absorption method is conducted by using an absorption dye selected from a group consisting of MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide)), MTS (5-(3-caroboxymethoxyphenyl)-2H-tetra-zolium inner salt), WST (4-[3-(4-Iodophenyl)-2(4-nitrophenyl)-2H-5-tetrazolio]1,3-benzene disulfonate) and trypan blue, and the fluorescence method is conducted by using an organic fluorescent dye, an inorganic nano-particle or a fluorescent protein.
 30. The method for the toxicity assessment of nano-materials of claim 29, wherein the cell image analysis is conducted by obtaining a bright field image with a formazan by MTT analysis form in a cell. 